Sledding

Louisa looked like a pink Telli Tubbie in her snow suit!

Lu loved riding with daddy down the hill.

Daddy got the record for going the farthest!

Auntie Cha Cha

After a while Lu got a little frustrated at not being able to walk!

Daddy took Lu down on the sled and the snow sprayed in her face. She didn't like it.

Abby got sick of waiting for an inner tube so she just slid down on her bum!

Michael has quite the need for speed!

I even got in on the action -- there is no way I was missing out on all the fun!

Snowy Sunday

We got dumped with a ton of snow this week and today was the first nice day we have had so Uncle Jon and Aidan decided to make a snowman and Abby had to get in on the fun.

Abby and Aidan kept sliding down the large mound of snow by the driveway.

Abby looks like Ralphie's little brother on "A Christmas Story" in this picture!

Merry Christmas 2008 Part 1

Merry Christmas everyone! How was your holiday?
Here is how it went down at our house.

I went to bed at 3:45 and woke up at 7:30. Needless to say, my settings on my camera were way off and I was to tired to notice! So this is the best "coming down the stairs" shot I got. Aren't they so cute in their matching pjs though?

Yes, Louisa got a helium tank from Santa. Balloons are her most favorite thing in the world so what better gift than that of a helium tank, a Santa ballon, and enough balloons to last a year!

She also got her very first baby doll. As you can see she loves him! (It's a boy with red hair and freckles - cute huh?)

Abby got EVERY single toy from the movie "Toy Story" ever made. Needless to say, Santa spent all year on ebay to find them all! She went crazy over them. She is such a fan of the movie and Buzz Lightyear is her favorite.

I think the Slinky dog made her the most excited -- she ran around bouncing the spring up and down with this huge grin on her face and giggling.

Michael got $150 in dollar bills to go toward the camera he is saving up to buy. After a while mom pulled out a large wrapped box and told Michael he could have whatever was in the box if me gave me $450 dollars. He forked over all the cash he had, including change and an IOU and ripped open the box.....

Can you tell what it was by the look on his face? Priceless! Now my little protege' has his own camera and can stop using mommy's! By the way, now I know how everyone must see me since he had that camera in his hands the ENTIRE day taking pictures! Deep down, I love it!

Speaking of cameras, look for a future post of what Santa brought me for Christmas -- I must have been a REALLY good girl this year!!!!

Merry Christmas 2008 Part 2

My mommy

My daddy. He insisted on wearing this bow all morning to remind my mom that he was her present. He even put it back on whenever it fell off! So cute dad!

Louisa was so sick of me taking pictures she pointed up at the camera and said, "NO!" So I took this last one!

My sister-in-law Chalyn and I got a little silly with the napkins while decorating the table!

Ryan only agreed to be in pictures if I promised not to put him on the blog. I think maybe he should watch what he wishes for! I wish I had gotten better pictures of the fam but oh well. It is what it is.

I think the saying is true that the longer you are together the more you start to look alike!

'Twas The Night Before Christmas...

'Tis the night before Christmas and all through our house, not a creature is stirring not even a mouse....

(My mom made these cute mice out of fudge, kisses, cherries, and peanuts for the grandkids. So cute!!!)

The stockings are hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that Santa will soon be hare (it has to rhyme)!

The children are nestled all snug in their beds... (who am I kidding?)
He's faking!!!
While visions of candy canes dance in their heads. (This would be why they aren't nestled in their beds!)

While mama in her kerchief....

and pa in his cap, are settling down for a much needed nap!

So hear us exclaim as we turn in for the night,

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!!!!!

Christmas 2008

I realized I forgot to post pics of some of my decorations so here they are!

This is my Christmas village I set up on the baby grand. It grew quite a bit this year thanks to my mom who gave me most of hers. Thanks mom.
Rudolph Rocks!!!

You can see the ice skating pond in the lower right corner. The kids love to watch the skaters move around the ice.

O Christmas Tree

I like how my tree turned out this year. I combined some old ornaments with some new and love the colors. My mom calls this kind of tree a "junk" tree where you just have a bunch of different ornaments that have a lot of meaning that either go together or not. Hers has a lot more "junk" than mine thanks to years of our homemade ornaments from school and now grandkids adding theirs to the mix. Her tree is my favorite of all the trees I've ever seen. Where else can you see your entire life of Chritmas memories all in one place? Thanks for always having a "junk" tree mom -- it's the most beautiful decoration of Christmas.

Here is my bokeh (out of focus) tree with all the pretty lights.

Here is one of my new ornaments (right) with my old hand painted ornament.

Another of my new ornaments. My kids are so bombarded with Santa from the outside world that I am slowly collecting more and more nativity decorations so the true meaning is emphasized at home.

These are two of my favorite decorations. As a little girl, this little soldier hung on the tree and the girl with the lantern was always sitting on a table somewhere. I always got these two and put them together somewhere in the house because in my little mind, they were in love and wanted to be together! My mom gave them to me once I had a family of my own so I could always keep them together.

Temple Square

I went to the Salt Lake City LDS Temple Square last night and got some great pictures. If you haven't been yet, plan a day and take the family. It is absolutely breathtaking and the nativity in the reflection pool is my favorite ever.

This one is for my mom who requested this shot. Love you!